The Minnesota Timberwolves never hesitated to get Anthony Edwards with the first overall pick of the NBA Draft. And why would they? His upside as a scorer was simply off the charts.
His defense, however, raised some doubts. He had the physical tools to become a good defender, with a body and traits that resembled Dwyane Wade’s. But he didn’t look like the kind of guy who was interested in trying.
That’s no longer the case. Edwards isn’t an elite defender by any means, but he’s putting in a lot of work on that end of the floor, and those efforts haven’t gone unnoticed by Golden State Warriors and Team USA coach Steve Kerr.
Steve Kerr Raves About Anthony Edwards’ Defense
“We feel like we always have the best defensive guards in the tournament, regardless of whether it’s this year or last year or the year before,” the Warriors coach said.
“This guy [Anthony Edwards] is right up there at the top. The pressure he puts on the ball, the way he stays in front, it really can confuse a defense and take them out of their stuff,” he added.
Edwards continues to work on his defense, and taking pride in guarding the rivals’ best scorer in this tournament will do wonders for his game. Don’t look now, but he might be next in the long list of NBA superstars.
